Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is facing three criminal charges stemming from an incident in Walton County, Georgia, on June 3. The charges include a battery-family violence misdemeanor classified as a first offense, a count of reckless conduct, and a count of first-degree criminal damage to property.
According to Yahoo Sports, court documents obtained by TMZ Sports, which first reported the charges on Friday, allege that Bateman smashed the window of a car belonging to the mother of his child. Bateman's 3-month-old child was allegedly in a car seat in the back of the vehicle at the time. Bateman reportedly turned himself in the same day.
The Ravens confirmed awareness of the situation through a statement shared with multiple outlets. "We are aware of the situation involving Rashod and have been in direct communication with him. We notified the league office and have been cooperating throughout the process. As this is a pending legal matter, we will not have further comment," a team spokesperson said.
Bateman's attorney, Jordan Siev, disputed how the situation has been characterized. "It is unfortunate that a personal family situation has been taken completely out of context for sensational reasons. We will let the court process play out and the facts will come out at that time," Siev told TMZ.
Bateman has spent all six years of his NFL career with Baltimore and is entering his sixth season in the league. The charges surfaced on the same day the Houston Texans were reportedly exploring a trade for him. The Texans were searching for a receiver after Jayden Higgins tore his ACL this week. It is not known how the legal situation will affect any trade discussions or potential NFL discipline.
The NFL personal conduct policy gives the league authority to investigate and discipline players independent of the criminal process. The Ravens stated they have already been in contact with the league office throughout the process. No timeline has been set for any league review.
